


i will rescue you.

by m4kiroll



Series: femslash february 2021 prompts!! [11]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Alternate Universe - Royalty, F/F, Femslash February, Fluff, Getting Together, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, ceos of women, gfs..., tenkaede is so GOOD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29367519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m4kiroll/pseuds/m4kiroll
Summary: the warmth in kaede’s smile is more radiant than the sun at the moment. “thanks for rescuing me,”(or, in which tenko is kaede’s personal guard and saves her from a stampede.)
Relationships: Akamatsu Kaede/Chabashira Tenko
Series: femslash february 2021 prompts!! [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139279
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	i will rescue you.

**Author's Note:**

> how to get bitches during femslash february, especially on valentine's day — a step by step guide:  
> step 1. be tenko chabashira.  
> step 2. if unable to continue with step one, be kaede akamatsu.  
> step 3. be the love child of tenkaede
> 
> congrats! the entire population of women is yours. you replaced your moms as the lead wlw
> 
> **day eleven: rescue**

“Akamatsu-san —”

“ _Kaede_ ,” the aforementioned patiently corrects. 

“ _Kaede,_ ” the first echoes through clenched teeth, “We shouldn’t be here —”

“And I know that,” Kaede interrupts, humming softly as she continues walking. 

“And you _know_ that,” the first continued, ignoring the outburst. “So, do you mind reminding Tenko why she is being dragged out of the castle by the _princess_ to the nearest village?” 

Kaede winces at the bluntness in Tenko’s accusatory tone, sighing. It was true: Kaede was certainly not allowed outside of the perimeters of the palace walls, yet there she was in mud-ridden boots, walking past the many cottages and stands of the local village people. They weren’t too far from the palace since, after all, the two had gone barefoot; if Kaede wasn’t careful, any of the townspeople could recognize Kaede as the princess of their country. 

To avoid this, Kaede had intentionally chosen the most “peasant-like” attire she had in her closet. As the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the world, she had trouble tossing together an outfit — sundresses, bizarre hats, foreign sandals and more had all been considered before Tenko had taken pity on her and given her one of her own clothes. While it did amuse Tenko with how out-of-touch Kaede was with “peasant fashion”, it did not amuse Tenko when Kaede had asked Tenko to adjust it on her at night during Tenko’s shift. Normally, she would have shaken her head with a firm _no_ and reminded her to get a good night’s rest, but instead, she found herself nodding her head as an unmistakable _yes_ accompanied by a small sigh as soon as Kaede switched on her pleading pout. 

Whether inadvertently or not, the princess had prodded one of Tenko’s few weaknesses. 

Of course, being the head guard of the princess, Tenko was by no means _poor,_ but in her spare time, she dressed in comfortable clothing rather than the fine dresses that were made of satin or velvet or silk and often embedded with pearls or other expensive gems. Plus, as someone who loved to move, she found corsets rather constricting, especially if she as much _breathed_ too harshly, she’d crack a rib in them. 

Regardless, the clothes Kaede had adorned on her fit her well. Even though her face and skin didn’t hold a single blemish, unlike the clothes that had been worn through, no one had recognized her yet. Kaede’s golden hair had been woven into a simple braid, unlike the complex yet sophisticated styles she wore on a daily basis at the palace. However, the braid was concealed with the help of a deep brown cloak made of thick material. While it was an odd choice of clothing for the middle of spring, both Tenko and Kaede hoped that the townspeople would assume the cloak that reached Kaede’s ankles was to shield the sun from hitting her backside. 

The boots Kaede proudly wore on her feet were caked with mud and dirt from the excursion, making them stick out like a sore thumb against the white cotton dress Kaede wore underneath her cloak. The dress was actually one made by Kaede (thus its simplicity, as the princess had only begun her sewing lessons two months ago), as Tenko only owned trousers and blouses fit for sword-fighting and physical movement. While they suited and fit Tenko perfectly, like a glove, Kaede was unfamiliar with them and was quick to make the switch. 

Tenko, on the other hand, was forced to remove her armor for the trip. It was no secret that as soon as Tenko was nine, the age she had been honored the status of a royal knight because of a dangerous embarking, she had taken much pride in her title, so even taking it off for a few hours while on the job made her a bit huffy. She also had to trade in her royal sword with the royal crest engraved in the hilt, leaving her with a plain one that was used only for training. Kaede had insisted on these changes to keep their identities a secret while they went out, but that didn’t mean the mediocre sword that was attached to Tenko’s hip any _better._

Kaede sighed loudly as she kicked a lone snail shell in front of her feet as they continued walking down the trail. The snail shell scattered down the road in front of them, following the urge of Kaede’s kicks, and Kaede sighed once again — out of boredom, Tenko guessed. While Kaede was far from a snobby elite, she did get rather bored easily.

“I don’t know, I’m just… _sick_ of being cooped up in the palace all day! I mean, how can I even rule a country if I haven’t even left the _castle_ of that country in 18 years?” Kaede said, a rare scowl flickering across her face as she gave the shell an extra hard kick. The snail shell rolled away, out of reach, and the blonde’s face softened, if only a little bit. 

Tenko, momentarily forgetting she had asked a question, blinked before remembering her own complaint. While she truly didn’t understand Kaede’s fascination and longing to be out of the castle, she still wanted to help support Kaede. 

“Tenko doesn’t see why you want to always be out of the castle,” the guard admits with a shrug. “All the men Tenko has met in her many years of traveling are nothing but… _men._ ” She continues, scrunching her face up at the word. She spat out the single syllable like it was the most filthy, awful, and poisonous thing to exist. Pointedly ignoring Kaede’s giggles, Tenko continued her complaints in a lowly mutter. “ _Degenerates…_ ” 

“Hey, not all men are bad!” Kaede says, giggling again. It was an inside joke between them, as Tenko was told the statement on a nearly daily basis. While Kaede didn’t necessarily agree with her unusual hatred for them, it had never made Tenko unable to remain the friend Kaede had befriended or the guard that was appointed to her, so she didn’t mind. “You know that one advisor? Saihara-kun? He’s not bad! He’s —” 

“Tenko’d really rather not hear about that _male_ , thank you!” She interrupted loudly, the tips of her ears turning red. Kaede giggled again but, mercifully, fell silent, letting the subject drop. 

Luckily, the princess had assumed the outburst was rooted from her raging misandry, not the bile that was rising in her throat. Whenever Kaede brought up one of her best friends, the advisor Saihara Shuichi, Tenko wanted to hurl, even when her eyes seemed preoccupied as figurative red swam in her vision; though, it may as well have been _literal_ , as Tenko was inexplicably angered by the mere mention of the boy. It was nonsensical and illogical, but the time Kaede spent gushing about Saihara was time Tenko would rather be spending doing literally _anything_ else. 

Saihara had transferred to the Akamatsu monarchy from the Enoshima one across the world and quickly grew to be the king’s favorite. He had so many _fantastic_ ideas on how to help the poor and make more crops and make better trades and _blah blah blah;_ quite frankly, Tenko didn’t care much for it all. Their country ran fine on its own without the help of _Saihara,_ thank you! 

It didn’t help that he quickly befriended Tenko’s old sparring partner, Maki, and her fiance ( _yuck!_ How Maki tolerated, let alone was set to _marry_ a degenerate on her _own accord_ was beyond Tenko), Momota Kaito, so quickly it made Tenko’s head swim. 

It had taken Tenko three years from age nine to age twelve to make her first friend — a gardener named Yumeno Himiko. And this total _newbie_ who, Tenko may add, came from the Enoshima dynasty, a dynasty infamous for bloodshed, had managed to make everyone from the King to Maki to the maids to Kaede herself respect him? Tenko had been faithful to Kaede and her family for over a decade yet was _still_ looked down upon for being a woman. At least Maki, who was the war strategist and worked as an undercover spy and assassin, had her natural intimidation and glower to her, while Tenko was deemed as powerful as a hyper chihuahua to many despite her accomplishments and muscles.

Being a female guard in a sea of men who needed to learn manners and basic hygiene really, _really_ sucked at times. 

At least Tenko had Kaede, though. Kaede, who is patient and kind to even menaces, and Kaede, who was currently watching a pair of birds soaring throughout the sky with a smile on her face. Kaede, whose smile was absolutely beautiful. 

Feeling heat crawl up her cheeks, Tenko coughed, trying her best to not cough too viciously. The last thing she needed was Kaede insisting they either turn back or scour for a doctor in the village who would undoubtedly recognize them (read: Kaede) because of their education. 

“Akamatsu-san —”

“ _Kaede,_ ” the blonde interjects once again, identically to how she had done before. 

“ _Kaede,_ ” Tenko corrects. “Where exactly are you planning on going first?”

Tenko watches as Kaede slows to a standstill, tilting her head to the right as she narrowed her eyes and dropped her mouth open ever so slightly as she pondered on it. Tenko couldn’t help but wonder how it had really not crossed her mind before. 

“I dunno, getting pastries is a traveling-must, right?” Kaede questions, now resuming her pace. 

“We both know Tenko doesn’t have time to pick out and eat pastries when she travels,” Tenko points out. Most of the time when Tenko was needed elsewhere, all she brought with her in terms of food was stale rolls of bread, apples, and a canteen to scoop up and pick up water with, each in her traveling satchel.

Kaede laughs awkwardly, and inwardly, Tenko cringes at her own words. She had completely forgotten how uncomfortable Kaede got at times when she spoke of her time at battle; it wasn’t war itself she was uncomfortable with — she was a future monarch, after all, she didn’t have the privilege to decide if it was something she was comfortable with — but it was just the prospect of Kaede’s friends at war that made her uncomfortable. She had this rule with Tenko and a few others, which Saihara was included with, but Tenko wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad one.

“Anyway,” Tenko cleared her throat. “We’ll find a bakery, and then —”

“No need!” Kaede interrupted once more. Tenko decided to chalk up her disruptions to uncontained excitement. “There’s a bakery right here!”

“Tenko doesn’t know… shouldn’t we find a bakery farther away?” The guard asks, hesitance apparent. 

“It’ll be fine,” Kaede urges. “Um… can I borrow some coins? I didn’t bring any…”

Sighing, Tenko begrudgingly passed a handful of gold coins in the other’s hand, forbidding herself from making a big deal about the fact that their hands brushed. 

“Thanks, Tenko!” Kaede chirped, grabbing Tenko’s wrist as she lurched the girl forward. She felt her face heat up and felt a wave of gratitude wash over her at the realization that Kaede wasn’t looking at her face. Instead, her eyes were set determinedly to her target: the bakery. 

Tenko stared off as Kaede made small talk with the baker. The princess stocked up on freshly baked rolls as she chatted absentmindedly with the baker, determined to learn everything she could about the village from him. 

Eventually, Kaede retreated, allowing her and Tenko to start back to the castle as they shared the bread. It was delicious — it was warm and soft, and nearly as good as the ones at the castle. 

“Hey, Tenko,” Kaede said, swallowing her bread hurriedly. “Thanks for bringing me out here today,”

“It’s no problem, Akamat — _Kaede_ ,” Tenko swiftly corrects, smiling warmly. She meant her words, too. If it had been anyone else or, God forbid, a ( _degenerate_ ) man, she wouldn’t have gone through with the troublesome and hasty ordeal, but since it was Kaede, her fulfillment made it all worth it. 

“No, you don’t get it,” Kaede says, pausing. As if choosing her words carefully, Kaede continues. “This means a lot to me, I love spending time with you…”

Feeling the tips of her ears heating, Tenko turned away as a blush crept up her face. Luckily, Kaede was focused on the boots on her feet as she talked, unaware of Tenko’s red face. 

As Tenko opened her mouth to interject, to deny her compliments, another sound pricked at Tenko’s ears. Frowning, Tenko resists the urge to unsheath her sword to avoid startling an unassuming Kaede. With a furrowed brow, Tenko looked up, continuing to listen to Kaede, though she was admittedly only paying half attention to the princess’s words now. She heard the sound of her voice flow in one ear and out the other, but the specifics of what she was saying was lost on her. 

Feeling guilty for this, Tenko attempts to tune back into whatever it was that Kaede was rambling about. 

“And… Tenko, I love —”

“ _Look out!_ ”

Roughly, Tenko shoves Kaede out of the way before swiftly pulling herself out of the line of danger. As a group of horses, each with a person behind the reins, passed by in a rush, Tenko couldn’t help but scowl when she realized that only men were riding the horses and hadn’t even paused to check if they were okay. Had they even realized they nearly trampled the princess? 

_Degenerate men,_ Tenko found herself scowling for the tenth time that day. 

Tenko turned around, feeling her face soften when she took in Kaede. She was on the ground, staring at the trail in front of them in a state of shock. She also looked uncharacteristically… embarrassed? 

She stuck her hand out to Kaede, who took it graciously, brushing off any dirt from the cloak. 

“Um, thanks, Tenko,” Kaede meekly murmured, blushing still. “For the warning, I mean,”

“Don’t mention it,” Tenko says, giving Kaede an apologetic smile. “Now, what was it you were saying to Tenko?”

“Nothing, only how I’ve been in love with you for, like, two years now,” Kaede snorted under her breath, her annoyance at the whole disruption being thinly veiled. 

“You… what?” Tenko stammers, feeling her face heat up again. It was a miracle she hadn’t already combusted. 

“You heard me! I’ve been in love with you for years, and I know you like Yumeno from the gardens, but —”

“No, I don’t,” Tenko interjects. Her use of first-person stuns Kaede into silence. “Tenko likes you,”

Though she hadn’t even realized she liked Kaede, the words fell out of her mouth like perfect dominoes, and she knew it was the truth. 

Now it was Kaede’s turn to look surprised. “You do?”

“Yeah,” Tenko insists. “Come on, let’s head back before someone realizes you’re gone,”

“Okay,” the princess says with a smile, walking hand in hand with the guard. “And Tenko?”

“Hmm?”

The warmth in Kaede’s smile is more radiant than the sun at the moment. “Thanks for rescuing me,”

**Author's Note:**

> tenkaede is just so fluffy and wholesome,, this month is literally their month


End file.
